Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of various completely different physical objects or “things” which are embedded with electronics, software, sensors, and network connectivity. Combination of electronics, software, sensors and network connectivity enables those objects to communicate with each other and share information. IoT devices are remotely controllable by using the existing network infrastructure which automatically assists IoT devices to directly integrate with physical world and computer based systems.
According to multiple survey reports prepared by separate eminent consulting companies, by 2020 nearly 26 billion devices are going to be connected on the Internet of Things. ABI Research estimates that more than 30 billion devices will be wirelessly connected to the IoT by 2020. As per Cisco, by 2022 the Internet of Things (IoT) market will touch a valuation of $14.4 trillion. IoT-related value-added services are forecasted to grow from $50 B in 2012 to $120 B in 2018. The worldwide revenue opportunity for IoT in manufacturing will grow from $472 B in 2014 to $913 B in 2018. Going by all these forecasts related to the massively growing market of Internet of Things (IoT) it is evident in next 20 years the amount of value Internet of Things (IoT) will add in common peoples' lives are beyond our wildest imagination.
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) also known as Bluetooth Smart or Version 4.0+ of the original Bluetooth specifications is a power and application friendly version of Bluetooth build specifically for the Internet of Things (IoT) devices. BLE which was designed and marketed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), has seen considerable usages in different applications suitable for healthcare, fitness, retail, beacons, security, home entertainment etc. Due to its massive applications in Internet of Things (IoT) devices, BLE reduces power consumption and cost to a greater extent while maintaining a similar communication range. Bluetooth Smart was originally introduced under the name Wibree by Nokia™ in 2006, but was merged into the main Bluetooth standard in 2010 with the adoption of the Bluetooth Core Specification Version 4.0. Each and every mobile operating system like iOS™, Android™, Windows™ offer native support for Bluetooth Smart. Bluetooth SIG predicts that by 2018 over 90 percent of Bluetooth-enabled smart devices will support Bluetooth Smart.
Asset tracking is basically detecting, identifying, and pursuing of physical assets in different environments. Assets can be tracked for various reasons like they can be tracked while moving from one geographical location to another geographical location. Simultaneously they can also be tracked while being kept in one single environment regarding their various usages. As per the current state of the art, the most common approaches associated with asset tracking are: Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) based asset tracking, RFID based asset tracking, Wi-Fi based asset tracking and BLE/iBeacon based asset tracking.
Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) based asset tracking is performed by attaching GPS trackers with moving objects and then pursuing those trackers with the help of GPS to determine and track their precise locations. The recorded location data can either be stored within the tracking unit, or it may be transmitted to a central location data base, or Internet-connected computer, using a cellular (GPRS or SMS), radio, or satellite modem embedded in the unit. This allows the asset's location to be displayed against a map backdrop either in real time or when analysing the track later, using GPS tracking software. Data tracking software is available for smart-phones with GPS capability. However GPS based asset tracking is still not error free. One of the major issues which still bug GPS based asset tracking is that in indoor environments they are not very accurate outside of 5-15 m movement range. GPS trackers fail to detect floors in indoor environments. Another major issue which GPS trackers face in indoor environments is interference problems. Radio signal emissions from nearby bands, signal jamming due to roof, walls, weather all create enormous hindrances in achieving a smooth user experience while tracking assets in indoor environments using GPS trackers.
Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology which is operational from the 1980's applies electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track objects with which RFID tags are attached to. The RFID tags stores information which is electronically stored. RFID tags can either be active or passive. Active RFID tags contain local power sources such batteries and may operate at hundreds of meters from the RFID reader. Like barcodes, the Active RFID tags do not need to be within the line of sight of the reader, so it may be embedded in the tracked object. The Passive RFID tags do not have any batteries inside them. Instead they collect energy from any nearby RFID reader's interrogating radio waves. However RFID based asset tracking do come with their share of technical problems.
As RFID systems use electromagnetic fields to communicate they are relatively easy to get jammed and/or disrupted using energy at the right frequency. Though in shopping malls it will create a little inconvenience for the customers but this same situation will be disastrous in other environments where RFID is increasingly used, like hospitals or in the military in the field. A single global standardization for RFID technology still does not exist in the world. For example UHF RFID currently used in USA is not incompatible with those of Europe or Japan. Also in indoor environments RFID based asset tracking systems does not provide accurate ranges.
Since 1999, Wi-Fi or WiFi technology allows electronic devices to connect to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), mainly using the 2.4 GHz (12 cm) UHF and 5 GHz (6 cm) SHF ISM radio bands. Wi-Fi can share a new ID parameter: the SSID (Service Set Identifier) which is the name of the network and the Medium Access Control (MAC) address of the Access Points (APs). The biggest problem related to WiFi technology is that it possesses huge security concerns regarding keeping data safe of users. The most common wireless encryption standard Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is easily breakable even when properly configured. Though considerable advances do have taken place in terms of security but the vulnerabilities still exists. Same like the GPS based asset tracking and RFID based asset tracking systems, WiFi based asset tracking is also not very accurate in indoor environments. Particularly the coverage area of any WiFi is always limited. So once an asset is out of the coverage area of any WiFi network, there is no way one can track that asset again.
Wi-Fi has also been used to improve real time location systems, such as “Active RFID over the Wi-Fi™” using the existing 802.11 Wi-Fi networks and its signal strength readings to calculate a number of probable locations on a virtual map, comparing tag readings against a stored database of Wi-Fi readings or Received Signal Strength Indicators (RSSI). But the problem with this system is that it is very difficult to implement and maintain like over volume of mobile tags, sensors, badges etc. Also there is a need to charge the batteries for wireless devices at specific time intervals. Further to maintain the equipments human involvement is must.
iBeacon is a protocol developed by Apple™ which uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology particularly suitable for low energy consumable Internet of Things (IoT) devices. BLE was launched in 2010, and consists to collect 3 main information (UUID, Major and Minor) that improved the real time location system field. With BLE or iBeacon system, it's possible to know the location, ID Data and more information from the physical assets and around it (humidity, temperature, motion, power consumption, automation). The data can then be send to a smartphone via BLE (or Bluetooth 4.0 available for iPhone™ 4S, 5, 6 . . . and Android 4.3). However the Bluetooth Smart based iBeacon do have its own range of issues like low data transfer rate (58 Kbps), signal lost over long distance (signal reception quality goes down over 10 meters). Furthermore tags, badges, sensors are mobile which increase the risk of losing those things.
Thus, there is a need for an Internet of Things (IoT) enabled multi signal diffusion integrated system and a method to smartly track assets in different environments using a combination of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technologies.